Plasmonic enhancement of the vanadium dioxide phase transition induced by low-power laser irradiation

Nanocomposites consisting of gold nanoparticle (NP) arrays and vanadium dioxide (VO₂) thin films are noteworthy for the tunability of both their thermal and optical properties. The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the Au can be tuned when its dielectric environment is modulated by the semiconducting-to-metal phase transition (SMT) of the VO₂; the LSPR itself can be altered by changing the shape of the NPs and the pitch of the NP array. In principle, then it should be possible to choose a combination of VO₂ film and Au LSPR properties that maximizes the overall optical response of the nanocomposite. To demonstrate this effect, transient transmission measurements were conducted on lithographically fabricated arrays of Au NPs of diameter 140?nm, array spacing 350 nm, and covered with a 60?nm thick films of VO₂ via pulsed laser deposition. Both Au::VO₂ nanocomposites and bare VO₂ film were irradiated with a shuttered 785?nm pump laser, and their optical response was probed at 1550?nm by a fixed-frequency diode laser. The Au::VO₂ nanocomposite exhibited an increased effective absorption coefficient 1.5 times that of the plain film and required 37?% less laser power to induce the SMT. The time-dependent temperature rise in the film as a function of laser intensity was calculated from these measurements and compared with both analytic and finite-element models. Our results suggest that Au::VO₂ nanocomposites may be useful in applications such as thermal-management coatings for energy efficient ??smart?? windows.     

Electrical properties and Raman scattering investigation of Ag doped ZnO thin films

Ag-doped ZnO thin films were deposited on quartz glass substrates by a radio-frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering technique at room temperature (RT). The influence of Ag doping content on the electrical and Raman scattering properties of ZnO films were systematically investigated by Hall measurement system and Raman scattering spectrum. Two additional local vibrational modes (LVMs) at 230.0 and 394.5 cm^?1 induced by Ag dopant in ZnO:Ag films were observed by Raman analyses at RT, corresponding to Ag atoms located at O sites (LV M_Zn?Ag) and Zn sites (LV M_Ag?O) in ZnO lattice. Moreover, we further studied the effect of donor Ag_O and acceptor Ag_Zn defects on the electrical properties of ZnO:Ag films. The results indicate that O-rich condition is preferred to suppress the formation of Ag_O defects and enhance Ag_Zn defects. The p-type ZnO:Ag film was achieved by properly optimizing the annealing conditions under O-rich condition.     

Studies on frequency and gate voltage effects on the dielectric properties of Au/n-Si (110) structure with PVA–nickel acetate composite film interfacial layer

The admittance technique was used in order to investigate the frequency dependence of dielectric constant (????), dielectric loss (????), dielectric loss tangent (tan??), the ac electrical conductivity (?? _ac), and the electric modulus of PVA (Ni-doped) structure. Experimental results revealed that the values of ???? , ????, (tan??), ?? _ac and the electric modulus show fairly large frequency and gate bias dispersion due to the interface charges and polarization. The ?? _ac is found to increase with both increasing frequency and voltage. It can be concluded that the interface charges and interfacial polarization have strong influence on the dielectric properties of metal?Cpolymer?Csemiconductor (MIS) structures especially at low frequencies and in depletion and accumulation regions. The results of this study indicate that the ???? values of Au/PVA/n-Si with Nickel-doped PVA interfacial layer are quite higher compared to those with pure and other dopant/mixture??s of PVA.     

Long-range chemical interactions in solid-state reactions: effect of an inert Ag interlayer on the formation of L10-FePd in epitaxial Pd(0 0 1)/Ag(0 0 1)/Fe(0 0 1) and Fe(0 0 1)/Ag(0 0 1)/Pd(0 0 1) trilayers

The effect of 0, 0.5, and 1?μm-thick Ag interlayers on the chemical interaction between Pd and Fe in epitaxial Pd(0?0?1)/Ag(0?0?1)/Fe(0?0?1)/MgO(0?0?1) and Fe(0?0?1)/Ag(0?0?1)/Pd(0?0?1)/MgO(0?0?1) trilayers has been studied using X-ray diffraction, ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and magnetic structural measurements. No mixing of Pd and Fe occurs via the chemically inert Ag layer at annealing temperatures up to 400?°C. As the annealing temperature is increased above 400?°C, a solid-state synthesis of an ordered L1₀-FePd phase begins in the Pd(0?0?1)/Ag(0?0?1)/Fe(0?0?1) and Fe(0?0?1)/Ag(0?0?1)/Pd(0?0?1) film trilayers regardless of the thickness of the buffer Ag layer. In all samples, annealing above 500?°C leads to the formation of a disordered Fe_xPd_1?x(0?0?1) phase; however, in samples lacking the Ag layer, the synthesis of Fe_xPd_1?x is preceded by the formation of an ordered L1₂-FePd₃ phase. An analysis of the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results shows that Pd is the dominant moving species in the reaction between Pd and Fe. According to the preliminary results, the 2.2?μm-thick Ag film does not prevent the synthesis of the L1₀-FePd phase and only slightly increases the phase’s initiation temperature. Data showing the ultra-fast transport of Pd atoms via thick inert Ag layers are interpreted as direct evidence of the long-range character of the chemical interaction between Pd and Fe. Thus, in the reaction state, Pd and Fe interact chemically even though the distance between them is about 10⁴ times greater than an ordinary chemical bond length.     

Hydrothermal synthesis and electrochemical characterization of VO2 (B) with controlled crystal structures

Three different VO₂ (B) nanostructures, including urchin-like VO₂ (B), VO₂ (B) honeycombs and VO₂ (B) nanorods have been successfully fabricated through hydrothermal process by adjusting the concentrations of the oxalic acid. The microstructure and morphology of the VO₂ nanostructures were evaluated by using X-ray diffraction and scanning and transmission electron microscopies. Electrochemical properties measurements of urchin-like VO₂ (B) and VO₂ (B) honeycombs showed excellent cycling performance, especially the urchin-like VO₂ (B) exhibited higher discharge capacity and better capacity retention.     

The thermal–optical effect due to varying the angle of incidence used for designing a tunable filter in photonic crystals

Tunable devices based on photonic-crystal (PhC) structures are employed in optical sources, detectors, and filters. We present the design and optimization of a wavelength-selective tunable filter with potential applications to the wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) systems. We analyze the design of a 1D tunable photonic-crystal filter, where tunability is achieved either by changing the temperature or the angle of incidence. The device is designed in a multilayered structure of silicon/silica (Si/SiO₂) with a defect in the middle. Based on the induced variation of optical parameters introduced by an external change of temperature, we analyze the effects of these changes in temperature on the transmission of the optical filter at different angles of incidence. We show that the position of the resonance peak has a linear dependence on temperature and the square of the angle of incidence. A linear regression provides a slope of d??/dT?=?+0.06?nm/°C and d??/d?? ²?=??0.104?nm/degree² around the transmission wavelength ???=?1.55???m. We obtain the corresponding field patterns and the transmission spectra using the transfer-matrix-method (TMM) simulations. We show the ability to tune the optical properties of the photonic-crystal filter elaborated by changing two parameters: the angle of incidence for selecting the wavelength and the temperature for fine tuning of the wavelength, which can be applied in integrated optics.     

Yttrium silicide films into Si(111) — Fabrication and properties

The formation of a thin layer of hexagonal Y Si_2?x phase on a single-crystal Si(111) substrate by implantation of 195 keV Y ions with a dose of 5×10¹⁶Y ⁺/cm² at room temperature (RT) is investigated. The structural characterization of the as-implanted and annealed samples is performed using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) pole figure and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM). The results show that the orientation relationship between the Y Si_2?x layer and Si substrate is Y Si_2?x(0 0 0 1)//Si(111) and Y Si_2?x[1 1 -2 0]//Si [110].     

Co x Ag1−x core–shell nanoparticles: magnetic and magneto-optical studies

The magneto-optical properties of 14-nm Co _x Ag_1?x core–shell nanoparticles (x=0.7, 0.8, and 0.35) deposited on different substrates are investigated at room temperature in the photon-energy range from 0.8 to 4.8 eV. Particles with low Ag content show spectra very similar to pure Co nanoparticles while particles with high Ag content have totally different features, where the Ag plasma edge dominates the spectra. The spectral features of the polar Kerr rotation depend on particle composition. The ageing process and development of an oxide layer influence the particles’ core–shell structures and magnetization curves. Co-rich particles exhibit lower resistance to the oxidation process as compared to Ag-rich ones. The quality of the nanoparticles was checked by transmission electron microscopy in respect of time scale.     

Electrical,optical and structural properties of pure and gold-coated VO2 thin films on quartz substrate

In the present study, vanadium dioxide films were grown on quartz glass substrate by reactive KrF laser ablation technique using a vanadium dioxide target. The gold films of various thicknesses were then deposited on the VO₂ film by sputtering technique. Films were characterized by X-ray diffraction to determine crystallography, by four-point probe to determine the electrical property and by double-beam spectrophotometry to determine optical reflection and transmission behaviour in the 200–2500 nm spectral region. The resistance per square of VO₂ thin film decreases by two orders of magnitude across the metal insulator transition (MIT). The optical transmittance and reflectance exhibits, strong temperature dependence in the infrared region without a significant change in the visible region for VO₂ thin films. The presence of gold layer on VO₂ films significantly reduces the resistance per square, the critical temperature and percentage transmittance of the materials.     

Quadrupole interactions at europium sites in Eu3V2O7 and Eu2VO4

The electric-quadrupole interactions at the Eu sites in Eu₃V₂O₇ and Eu₂VO₄ oxides have been studied at room temperature with¹⁵¹Eu Mössbauer spectroscopy. Both divalent and trivalent Eu ions were found in the oxides. The fraction of Eu²⁺ is 17.1(8)% in Eu₃V₂O₇ and 39.0(1.6) % in Eu₂VO₄. The values of the quadrupole coupling constant, eV_zzQ_g, obtained from the fits using a full Hamiltonian method are ?6.594(50) and ?8.043(65) mm/s for Eu³⁺, and ?13.168(402) and ?18.032(134) mm/s for Eu²⁺, respectively in Eu₃V₂O₇ and Eu₂VO₄. The magnitude of eV_zzQ_g in Eu₂VO₄ is the largest ever reported for Eu²⁺ in any Eu oxide system.